Hi all,
So I’m in the first year of my A-Levels but I’m thinking ahead, I’d like to do either an apprenticeship in computer science at degree level or go to uni and do a computer science degree, but I don’t know what I should look for in an apprenticeship or where to start looking and if an apprenticeship would be better than going to uni or not? Anyone have any tips or advice?
Thanks,

(Original post by Rleggett12)
Hi all,
So I’m in the first year of my A-Levels but I’m thinking ahead, I’d like to do either an apprenticeship in computer science at degree level or go to uni and do a computer science degree, but I don’t know what I should look for in an apprenticeship or where to start looking and if an apprenticeship would be better than going to uni or not? Anyone have any tips or advice?
Thanks,

(Original post by Rleggett12)
Thanks for that link! I’m mainly looking at programming or maybe cyber security/ forensic computing is a possibility

That tells you about the scheme although you should note that it is changing slightly. We'll now be offering a Degree (not Higher) Apprenticeship, leading to a BSc Honours degree. This means that the programme will now run for three years not two, and many of the other great things (good pay, high-quality training, work placements, the range of roles, visits to our other sites etc.) will remain.

If you choose a university route, you may be interested in the CyberFirst bursary scheme. This offers a bursary of £4,000 per annum for each year of study (up to £16,000 if completing a Master’s Degree), and two paid summer work activities at £250 per week (plus a contribution towards living accommodation or travel costs; summer placements are normally 8 weeks @ £250 per week). There's more details on the web page, but don't feel pressured - you normally apply in the September/October of year 13.

Whilst we can't offer direct advice on the 'apprenticeship vs. uni' question, there's hopefully other threads on here which cover that. Some key factors to consider are the subjects you would cover as part of your apprenticeship and on a given university course, and also the method of delivery - apprenticeships are work & employer-based, which some people prefer, but others miss the traditional 'life on campus' approach. The GCHQ scheme has a large number of apprentices, so you do get some of that community spirit - you aren't the only person on the scheme by any means. Location is also important - in which area of the country would you prefer to spend most of your time for the next three years?

We hope this helps, but you can also contact the team via [email protected], with any questions.

Last edited by The National Cyber Security Centre; 27-11-2017 at 16:00.
Reason: Added information on the CyberFirst scheme

That tells you about the scheme although you should note that it is changing slightly. We'll now be offering a Degree (not Higher) Apprenticeship, leading to a BSc Honours degree. This means that the programme will now run for three years not two, and many of the other great things (good pay, high-quality training, work placements, the range of roles, visits to our other sites etc.) will remain.

If you choose a university route, you may be interested in the CyberFirst bursary scheme. This offers a bursary of £4,000 per annum for each year of study (up to £16,000 if completing a Master’s Degree), and two paid summer work activities at £250 per week (plus a contribution towards living accommodation or travel costs; summer placements are normally 8 weeks @ £250 per week). There's more details on the web page, but don't feel pressured - you normally apply in the September/October of year 13.

Whilst we can't offer direct advice on the 'apprenticeship vs. uni' question, there's hopefully other threads on here which cover that. Some key factors to consider are the subjects you would cover as part of your apprenticeship and on a given university course, and also the method of delivery - apprenticeships are work & employer-based, which some people prefer, but others miss the traditional 'life on campus' approach. The GCHQ scheme has a large number of apprentices, so you do get some of that community spirit - you aren't the only person on the scheme by any means. Location is also important - in which area of the country would you prefer to spend most of your time for the next three years?

We hope this helps, but you can also contact the team via [email protected], with any questions.

Thank you so much for all the useful links and detailed response! I will have a look through